"Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole"
Roger Caras
"If your dog is fat, you aren't getting enough exercise."
Anonymous
"If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went."
Will Rogers
"One reason a dog is such a lovable creature is his tail wags instead of his tongue."
Anonymous
"Scratch a dog and you'll find a permanent job."
You enter into a certain amount of madness when you marry a person with pets."
Nora Ephron
Things that upset a terrier may pass virtually unnoticed by a Great Dane."
Smiley Blanton
"Did you ever walk into a room and forget why you walked in? I thin that is how dogs spend their lives."
Sue Murphy
Dogs laugh, but they laugh with their tails."
Max Eastman
"some days your the dog and some days you're the hydrant."
Anonymous
About Dana and her dogs...
I began agility training in 1991 with my Bernese Mountain Dog "Riley." I was looking for something to do in addition to our obedience training and was introduced to agility at a Jack Russell Terrier event in Ohio by Nancy Williams. By the end of the weekend I was hooked! Nancy even had me judge my first class that weekend...
In 1999 I started K9s in Motion, Inc., a full time agility training school based in the Chicagoland area.
Today, in an average week, I see more than 100 dogs of every imaginable breed in my classes and private lessons. In addition to classes and private lesson I also instruct at many popular agility camps and seminars across the country. I've been as far away as Japan! I've also taught in Canada and Bermuda and had the opportunity to visit Spain with the IFCS world team in 2004. Agility has given me the opportunity to see many things and meet many of the people whom I consider to be my very best friends. It's become so much more to me than just something I do with my dogs...
My training program is based on positive reinforcement techniques and the belief that the most important aspect of any type of dog training is that both the dog and handler have fun while learning! Many of my students have begun agility training as a way to exercise and have fun with their pets...and have gotten so hooked on the sport that they've went on to compete at the highest levels.
In addition to being an agility instructor and competitor I have also been an agility judge since 1993. I have competed and won gold in international competitions in the US and Europe and have judged at the American Kennel Club (AKC) Agility Nationals, the United Kennel Club (UKC) and the Ambor Nationals. I have also served on the AKC Agility Advisory Committee, the committee responsible for reviewing and revising agility regulations.
More than anything else though, I enjoy hanging out with my dogs, spending time with friends and family and working around the house.
**USDAA Nationals, 2007**
Tangle's first National - he won the semi final round
of steeplechase earning a finalist spot, placed in
all but one team class and won a place on the
2008 IFCS world team! He is an exceptional little dog.
He's been nick named quite a few things, the most
humorous so far is his being the
"product of indescretion" I'll just keep calling him the
happiest accident ever, I'm so proud of him :)
And not to be outdone, Maybie at 11 1/2 years old, finishes 2nd in the Performance National Standard! For me, she represents what agiltiy is all about...she still loves to run, and she keeps me on my toes because I just never know what she might do...over the years she's taught me how important it is to be able to laugh your way around the course.
ABOUT MY DOGS. My Parson Russell Terrier "Maybie" is an international star! In 2003 she was recognized as the top 12" dog by the US Dog Agility Association (USDAA). That earned her a spot on the 2004 USDAA International Federation of Cynological Sports (IFCS) World Agility Team that won gold in Spain. Maybie and I brought home the gold in the Biathalon (an individual event of combined standard and jumpers) another gold medal in individual standard, and the silver and bronze medals in both snooker and gamblers. Maybie also won Power and Speed and the Steeplechase finals! It was an enormously successful weekend for the entire US team, and I am extremely proud to have been a part of Team USA.
"Bang," my red and white Border Collie, qualified to compete at the AKC world team Invitational at two years of age as well as qualifying for the USDAA Grand Prix and Steeplechase events, where he competed in the Steeplechase finals. At the 2003 AKC Nationals he finished fourth overall in the ISC classes and second in the state team event. Bang also finished 4th at the 2006 AKC Nationals!!
My oldest and now retired Border Collie "Ticket" won the 20" Pupperoni Classic Agility event at a very young age and placed third in the Dog Agility Masters Team event in 2002. "Ticket" qualified for the 2003 Semifinal round at the USDAA World Championships.
I have also competed at the ESPN Great Outdoor Games with Ticket and Maybie as well as Purina's Incredible Dog Challenge with Maybie.
My Jack Russell Terrier "Rigbie" (retired) won the UKC Premier in 1995 and 1996 and was the first U-ACHX of her breed. "Roscoe" a Bernese Mountain Dog, was also first U-ACHX of his breed as well as earning the first AKC Agility Excellent title. Below is the "alphabet soup" of titles and accomplishments my dogs have earned over the years.
MACH, ADCH Meadowlake’s I Just Might, JE
("Maybie", Parson Russell Terrier)
2007 USDAA PNS Finals - 2nd place
2005 USDAA Grand Prix Finals – 5th place
2005 USDAA Steeplechase Finals
2004 USDAA IFCS World Team Member – Gold Medalist!
2004 USDAA Grand Prix Finals – 2nd place
2004 USDAA Steeplechase Finals
2003 USDAA Grand Prix Finals – 4th place
2003 USDAA Steeplechase Finals
2002 USDAA Grand Prix Semifinals
2001 NC Regional Winner
2001 USDAA Grand Prix Finals – 2nd place
2001 USDAA Steeplechase Finals
2000 USDAA Grand Prix Finals – National Champion!!
2000 USDAA Steeplechase Semifinalist
2000 - 2004 AKC National Qualifier
2002, 2003 Qualify AKC WT Invitational
MACH, ADCH Blitzen’s Make My Day
("Bang", Border Collie)
2005 AKC National Finals – 4th place
2005 USDAA GP Semi Finalist
2004 USDAA NC Regional Winner!
2004 Grand Prix Finalist
2003 – 2005 Qualify AKC Nationals
2003 USDAA Steeplechase Finalist
Honey Come Quick!!
("Tangle", Parson Russell x papillon cross)
2006 USDAA - AAD
2007 Incredible Dog Challenge Finals
2007 USDAA Steeplechase finalist
2008 IFCS World Team member!
Astra's Any Given Day
("Given" blue merle Border Collie)
Meadowlake's Git Bit!
("Sharkie", Papillon)
Meadowlake’s Yippee Kai Yay MF
("Yippee!" Jack Russell Terrier)
USDAA – MAD
Gone from my life but never forgotten...
MACH, ADCH Blitzen’s Moving Violation
("Ticket", Border Collie) 1998 - 2006
2001 -2003 Qualify AKC Nationals
2001- 2003 Qualify USDAA Nationals
2003 USDAA DAM Team - 4th place
2003 Qualify AKC WT Invitational
1999 Pupperoni Agility Classic 20" – 1st place
U-ACHX Rigorous Rigbie
("Rigbie", Jack Russell Terrier) 1993 - 2005
1995 - 1996 UKC Premier 1st place.
AAD, EAC, EAJ, EAJ
U-ACHX Honeybears Lenny’s Roscoe
("Roscoe", Bernese Mtn Dog) 1992 - 2000
AD, AX, EAC
Pike’s Riley Piley
("Riley", Bernese Mtn Dog) 1991 - 2002
**The dog that started it all!**
Dana in Japan, May 2006
